Kazakhstan sets up special council to address disabled people’s problems

The disabled people's problems in Kazakhstan will be dealt by a coordinating council, set up specifically for this purpose under a profile agency, Kazakh Vice-Minister of Healthcare and Social Development, Svetlana Zhakupova said Aug. 26.

"We have created a coordinating council, where we solve the issues of social protection of disabled people, and it involves about 16 non-governmental organizations," Zhakupova said during a briefing held at the Central Communications Service for the President of Kazakhstan.

She said the main problem in this area in Kazakhstan is related to the creation of an accessible environment for the disabled.

Zhakupova added that it is not only access to the buildings; it is also access to health services, education, and public services.

"It is not just about the construction of ramps, but also the adaptation of neighbourhoods, the adaptation of the buildings' entrances. Doorways must be of a certain width, and if it is a high rise building there should be elevators. This is a set of measures. Today, 127 facilities have been adapted. In this work we are working closely with the NGOs," she said.

Zhakupova went on to add that under the state program titled 'Roadmap of employment-2020' it is planned to adapt 179 facilities in 2014, and additional 905 facilities will be adapted with the funds of local budgets.

She said a draft law on some issues of social protection of the disabled persons is currently under development, adding that public associations have made about 42 significant additions and changes to it.

"We reviewed them within working groups; these regulations cover virtually all spheres of life, from justice, access to education, health, public services. It is also offered to review the transport infrastructure. Not only on motor and railway transport, but also the air and maritime transport," Zhakupova noted.

She noted that currently the draft law is ready to be submitted for the government's consideration.

"Since early this year, the ministry jointly with the Nur Otan Party, NGOs, and local executive agencies, have helped over 10,000 disabled people find employment, some of 9,212 of them finding permanent jobs, while over 2,000 people found jobs as part of the 'Roadmap of employment-2020', and over 4,000 people - as part of the 'Development of the Territory' program," Zhakupova said.